Apparatus facilitating the application of radioactive energy into inaccessible tissue and positions



July 16, 1929. T 1.72-1,019

APPARATUS ILITATING THE APPLICATION OF RADIOACTIVE ENERGY T0 INACCESSIBLE SUE AND POSITIONS Filed March 1927 INVENTOR I ATTORNEY Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,721,019 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK R. HART, 0F PACIFIC GROVE, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FACILITATING THE APPLICATION OF RADIOACTIVE ENERGY' INTO INACCESSIBLE TISSUE AND POSITIONS.

Application filed March 18, 1927. Serial No. 176,536.

My invention relates to radiotherapy, and more specifically to a means facilitating the application of radioactive energy to inaccessible locations of infection or disease.

-For the purpose of this specification my invention is shown in conjunction with an ultraviolet-ray machine, although it could be used in connection with other radioactive energy, and I do not wish to be confined in the use of my invention to its relation to the ultraviolet-ray exclusively, but Wish to be secured in its use in relation to any suitable radiotherapeutic energy. i

In order to understand my invention it will be necessary to explain that the germicidal effectof the ultraviolet rays .is very marked in the destruction of such microorganisms as the gonococci, which is a specific instance, although there are many others that could be adduced; I may say, however, that very beneficial results have followed the use of the said rays in the treatment of such affections as sinuses, carious bones, rectal fistulas, and so forth. Up to the present the treatment of deep-seated affections has been hampered by the fact that said violet rays are reluctant to project themselves into deep tissue and the like, unaided.

, In the reduction of my theory to practice I have found that the said rays will'penetrate a vehicle such as water, glyeerine, aniline dyes, mercurochrome and other substances.

A further 'object is to provide means whereby a fluid substance may be maintained in position during the period of treatment. A further object is to provide an apparatus adapted to hold a fluid that can be acted upon by pressure sodas to force said fluid through an administering perforation.

Another object is to provide :in-administering container-apparatus having one of its enclosing areas composed of a substance penetrableby the ultraviolet rays.

Still another object/is to provide a removable penetrable member, and gasket means therefor.

A further object is to provide a perforated outlet for said container-apparatus adapted for passage therethrough of radio energ Another object is to provide a nipple adapted for passage of rays.

Another object is to provide means to force fluid thru said nipple.

Another object is to provide an adaptercontainer for application to a violet-raymachine,'means to force fluid therethrough.

A further object is to provide an administermg container-apparatus adapted to be interposed between the lens of an ultraviolet ray machine and a diseased. or infected part or organ, said container being adapted to hold variousisubstances and fluidsa1id further adapted to inject the same under pressure into said part or organ; said apparatus adaptable to be easily attached or removed from an ultraviolet-ray machine and adapted to be easily cleansedand sterilized; together with other objects and advantages that will appear as the invention unfolds during the course of the following descrip tion. andhe particularly pointed out in the Fig. 1, taken on the line 111111 of Fig. 5, with "a quartz lens edgeon in full.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the said quartz lens and gaskets. i

Referring now in close detail to the drawings, the designation 1 denotes an ultraviolet ray machine, which forms .no part of the present invention other than to provide the said rays which my novel apparatus and method carryin a painless manner to deepseated areas of infectionv in a manner totally different from the painful and inflexible and been describing an ordinary ultraviolet-ray machine, but I will now proceed to describe the relation of my apparatus thereto, its purpose and the method of manipulating the.

same.

As is well shown in Fig. 1, my apparatus is a hollow, contalner-structure, 3, having a rear cylindrical portion 3 adapted to engage the bezel 1 or other suitable portion of said violet-ray machine 1 in such manner that the perforation 5 shall be in axial alinement with the focal ray transmitted through the lens 2 from the said machine.

Directly in front of the lens 2 and seated within the recess 6 of the structure 3 is a member penetrable by the ultraviolet-ray, as 7. Said member being adapted to form a closure at the ray end of my apparatus for a purpose that will appear. To make said closure more effectual and to safeguard said member 7 against fracture it is provided with resilient gasket means as 8 and 9, well shown in Fig. 5, or it may be provided with one such gasket only; such, for instance, as gasket 8 as shown in Fig. 3 where the member 7 is seated in a ground contact with the end annular surface of the recess 6.

The said gaskets 8 and 9 may be either rubber rings of round cross-section or they may be washers of any suitable'material or shape that will afford an effectual closure that will absorb shocks and prevent the escape of fluid from the adapter container structure 3 at the ray end thereof.

A groove 10 may be suitably formed adjacent the inner end of the recess 6 into which the said gasket or gaskets may be sprung so as to hold the said penetrable member 7 securely in place when my apparatus is removed from the ray machine. I do not confine myself to the use of gaskets as my apparatus can be constructed with carefully made joints adapted to hold fluid without the use of gaskets, of any kind, as is I well shown in Fig. 3.

The member 7 in the present instance is presumed to be a quartz disc of suitable thickness, and a nice fit within said recess 6 whence it is easily removable for cleansing and sterilizing purposes by first removing the gasket 8.

The structure 3, which is preferably of metal, has a perforated means 11 whereby fluid may be introduced thereinto by such means as the compression bulb 12 which is shown removablv attached to said structure 3, but which obviously could be made integral therewith without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The farther end of my apparatus from the ray machine is designated 13 and is so formed that it may be readily introduced into urethral or other ducts with as little pain as possible. In Figs. 1 and 3 the said,

end 13 is composed of a perforated quartz tip, but obviously it could be of other substance if so desired, also the said. end could bean integral part of the structure 3 and could be suitably rounded for easy entrance into sensitive orifices, as is well shown in Fig. 4. v

Having thus given a clear and concise operation of my apparatus.

description of my apparatus and its relation to a source of ultraviolet-rays (which obviously may be of any type, air-cooled or water-cooled, so long as it provides an adequate ray) I will now proceed to explain the In gonorrhea, in order to obtain the full germicidal effect of the rays, said rays must reach in for the full length of the urethral canal, extending fromits Incatus to the shut-off muscles situated close to the bladder. This, the ultraviolet-ray will not do without the aid of some fluid vehicle such as can be employed by my novel apparatus.

The question, then, resolves itself into the PTOVlSlOIIOf some means for introducing an inducting vehicle into such a long passage as the urethral canal in order to induce the said ray to follow thereafter to the uttermost end thereof in order to destroy the microorganisms present.

This I provide by filling the bulb 12 with a suitable substance or fluid which may be aniline dye, argyrol, mercurochrome or other substance adapted to carry the rays.

The tip 1'3 is now inserted into the meatus of the said gland for asuflicient distance to make a reasonably tight contact around the outer circumference of the said tip, so that when the bulb 12 is compressed between the finger and thumb, the fluid contained in the bulb will be forced throu' h the perforation 11 into the interior of the apparatus 3' and on out through the perforation 5 where itwill dilate the urethra and thus reach to the farther end thereof without leakage by following the path of the single feathered arrows leading down from said bulb 12; whereas the rays emanatin from the ultraviolet ray source pass directly through the lens 2 of said source, through the intervening quartz disc7 and on out of the apparatus through the perforation 5 into the urethra 5 'and on to its very end, 5 where the shut-off muscles 5 are situated close to the bladder (not shown). The path of the said rays being indicated by the double-feathered arrows.

'Other applications will suggest themselves to thoseversed in pathology for Whom its service is intended.

While I have herein shown specific forms of my invention and the method ofits operation .I do not wish to belimi'tedfthereto except by such limitations as the claims may import.

I claim p p v I 1. An apparatus of the :kind described, comprising in combination, .an ultra-violet ray machine or source and an adapter suitably attached thereto, the adapter comprising a hollow vessel provided with an inlet and an outlet for fluid, and a qu'artz memher or other element suitable for the passage theret'hrough of ultra-violet rays forming and described one wall of the said adapter, said member and said outlet being disposed in the direct path of the rays, the said combination of parts comprising means whereby the said rays may be caused to pass through fluid matter before reaching an objective point.

2. An apparatus of the kind described accessory to a source of ultra-violet rays, comprising an adapter suitablefor attach ment to a said source, said adapter comprising a hollow vessel having an inlet, an outlet and a compression means adapted to apply pressure to fluid within said container so as to force it through said outlet while in the path of said rays.

3. An apparatus of the kind described accessory to an ultra-violet ray machine or source, comprising an adapter and means for its attachment to the ray source, said adapter consisting of a hollow vessel provided with an inlet and an outlet for fluid, a rear wall of the container permeable to said rays, the member and the outlet being in line with said rays, said member being provided with gasket means or other yieldable closure means for the absorption of shock and retention of fluid within the container while under pressure caused by any damming of said outlet, and a pressure means adapted to close said inlet while exerting pressure upon fluid contained within said adapter.

4. An apparatus of the kind described accessory to an ultra-violet ray machine or source, said apparatus consisting of an adapter and means of attachment thereof to said ray source, the adapter comprising a funnel-shaped vessel having a cylindrical rear portion and a suitably-pointed, longi- In witness whereof I have set my hand this 7th day of March, 1927.

FRANK R. HART. 

